Landmark Trial Begins: Former US President Trump Faces Criminal Charges
The first criminal trial against a former US president commences in a New York courtroom
South African President Jacob Zuma will unveil a 9-m-high bronze statue of late Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria Monday.
The giant bronze-coated statue of the former and first black South Africa president, referred to affectionately as Madiba, arrived in Pretoria from Cape Town on Friday.
"This is the largest Mandela statue in the world and we believe it is the best," said Sarah Haines of Koketso Growth, which managed the project.
The South African Department of Arts and Culture also believed it to be the world's biggest statue of Madiba. The statue, created by South African artists Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, was cast at four foundries, two of them in Cape Town, where it was initially assembled.
"The unveiling of the statue on December 16 is intended as acknowledgement of the contribution of the first president of a democratic South Africa, a symbol of national reconciliation and unity. Hopefully, it will become a site of pilgrimage for domestic and international visitors," the Arts and Culture Department said in a statement.
Monday, which is the Day of Reconciliation, also marks the commemoration of the centenary of the Union Buildings.
Until the end of apartheid in 1994, tens of thousands of Afrikaners traditionally gathered on December 16 at Voortrekker Monument, located just south of Pretoria to honor ancestors and glorify the racist regime. This massive granite structure is prominently located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854.
In the opposing camp, December 16th is the day marking the founding of the military wing of ANC (African National Congress ), which staged its first attack on December 16, 1961.
After the end of apartheid, when Nelson Mandela became president, South Africa reviewed its official holiday and December 16 survived, but was renamed Day of Reconciliation
Mandela died at his home in Houghton, Johannesburg, last Thursday, at the age of 95.
An official memorial service was held at FNB stadium, in Soweto, on Tuesday.
His body has been lying in state at the Union Buildings since Wednesday. He was just buried at Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, on Sunday.
Nelson Mandela's body was laid to rest in a family plot, after political and religious leaders paid tribute to him at a state funeral service.
His widow, Graca Machel, and President Zuma were present for the private, traditional Xhosa ceremony Mandela's hometown.
The final day of South Africa's 10-day commemoration for its late leader began with his coffin taken on a gun carriage from Mandela's house to the giant marquee.
Mandela's casket, draped in national colors, was carried by the military, accompanied by family and friends, from a specially-erected marquee up a hill to the graveside.
South Africa's air force staged a fly-past as the coffin was lowered into the grave.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
CIA Director William Burns has issued a stark warning, asserting that Ukraine may face defeat in its war against Russia by the end of this year if the United States does not step up its military assistance
EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson conducted an inspection of border control measures at Sofia Airport, marking a significant step in Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area by air
Romania is making strides toward joining the Visa Waiver Program, a significant milestone that would enable its citizens to travel to the United States visa-free for up to 90 days
More than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested Thursday night at Columbia University in New York City
A Russian airstrike on the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine has resulted in the loss of at least eight lives and left 21 individuals wounded
Ukraine's military announced the destruction of a Russian Tu-22 strategic bomber, allegedly involved in nighttime airstrikes targeting Ukrainian cities
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022